Program IBTC 2025
Thursday 13th February
Location: Domstad
Utrecht, the Netherlands
9.00-9.45
walk-in
9.45-10.00
introduction/kick-off
10.00 - 10.45
Keynote
The Fishermen’s Trail
Walking with my daughter and walking alone. The physical, mental and spiritual journey.
Tim Voors
author, adventurer, long-distance hiker
A walking story about fatherhood, letting go and the art of enjoyment.
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11.00-11.45
Panel session
Discussions and opinions on current trends in cycling and walking by a panel team of experts.
among others:
Fiona Smart, owner Girona Cycling
Christian Tänzler (visitBerlin, ADFC)
Monique Hover (professor storytelling BUas)
Representative Royal Dutch Walking Federation (KWbN)
Moderator: Nina Nesterova
12.00- 13.30
lunch with poster sessions
13.30 – 14.15
break-out session
Photo: ©visitBerlin/Philip Koschel
The do's and dont´s of the cycling promotion and policy of Berlin
Christian Tänzler
Spokesman visitBerlin
Board member ADFC (German Cyclists Association)
A session about making cycling in Berlin more attractive for residents and tourists. It describes in a very practical way what these challenges mean for marketing and politics.
13.30 – 14.15
Break-out session
Storytelling and routes: design, development and marketing in 7 steps
Moniek Hover
Professor of Storytelling at Breda University of Applied Sciences
Veronique de Kort
Project manager at VisitBrabant Routebureau
Breda University and Visit Brabant work together in the creation, development and marketing of bicycle routes based on well-known local and regional stories. In this session, Moniek and Veronique will share the 7-steps method we use in these projects.
14.30 – 15.15
Break-out session
Frank Hart
Wandelnet (Dutch walking route network)
Eric Nijland
Fietsplatform (Dutch cycling platform)
Wandelnet en Landelijk Fietsplatform make extensive use of data and research to improve the quality of cycling and walking routes and route networks in the Netherlands. In our contribution we provide insight into how this works in practice.
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14.30 – 15.15
Break-out session
How did the Vías Verdes become a fully-fledged tourism product in 30 years?
Marjan Gielen
Owner Destinationmakers
Marion Hoogwegt
Journalist, co-owner of spanjemagazine.net
Marion and Marjan delve into the story behind the transformation of 3,000 km of old railway lines in Spain into routes for cyclists and hikers.
15.30 – 16.15
Break-out session
The Development of Ireland's National Cycle Network
Richard Bowen
Portfolio Manager with Transport Infrastructure Ireland
This session will give an overview of the development of the National Cycle Network (NCN) Plan for Ireland and current actions being undertaken to deliver the NCN.
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15.30 – 16.15
Break-out session
How to design a microadventure?
Brigitte Ars
Writer, microadventurer and lecturer Tourist Experience Design at Breda University of Applied Science
Discover the power of microadventures. Learn how small, local adventures can inspire travelers and open new opportunities for destinations, for those seeking to redefine adventure tourism.
16.30 - 17.00
networking drinks
